Shipping container and sterilizer



March 16 1926. 1,576,535

J. MUIR SHIPPING CONTAINER AND STERILIZER Filed June 5, 1924 Patented Mar. 16, 1926. 7

UN-ITEDI ES JOSEPH Mom, on

FATE N-r oFFreE.

new YORK, N. Y., AssIenon'Totrnn RAiDiUM EMANATION eon- POBATION, A cotaronA'rion or DELAWARE.

SI-IiPPING oon'rarnnn are) STERILIZER.

Application filed June 3,

TocZZ whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, Josnrrr Morn, a citizen: of the United States, residing at New York city, State ofjNew York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Shipping Containers and Sterilizers, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to a combined shipping; container and sterilizerand more particularlyto an articlefor employment in the shipping andsterilization ofradium emanationseeds. I 1

Oneof the objects ofthe present inventionis to provide a container in WlllGlLI'tIClk uin emanation seeds may be shipped with safety to those handling the shipment during the period of its transportation, thereby avoiding the injurious results'which might follow from a careless packing of the ship ment. v

Prior to implantation-ofthe seeds-in a lesion to'be'treated, the seeds must be sterilized. It is, t'lierefore another important objectof the present invention toprovide a container so constructed that when ithas reached its destination and occasion arises for the use ofthe contents, the sa-id container-'i'nay' be employed asa sterilizer, thus obviating, unnecessary handling of the emanation seeds andaffording safety to the physician employing the same.-

Another important object of the, invention is to so construct the container that when it is initially opened, afterhaving reached its destination, there will be. no likelihood oftheradium emanation seeds being; spilled from the container. i Another object of the invention is to so construct the container that water may freely circulate through the. section thereof which is to" be employed as a sterilizer, and may be effectually and completely drained therefrom after the sterilization has been effe cted. i

Another object of the invention is to pro vide a combined shipping container and sterilizer, especially designed for the purposes above outlined, which article will be simple in construction and comparatively inexpensive to manufacture and maybe employed repeatedly for its original purpose and without the necessity of renewing or replacing any of the parts. i y

In the accompanyingdrawings: I Figure 1 18 a* perspective View of the com- 1924. Serial No. 717,605.

bined shippingcontainer and sterilizer embodying the present invention;'

Figure 2 is a detail diametr'ic sectional view through the container and sterilizer;

'Figure 3 is a plan View of the sterilizer or body section ofthe article with the cover removedandwith a portion of' theforaminous closure for the said section partly broken away; 7

Figure 4: is a plan View lookingv at the under side of the said foraminous closure for the" sterilizer section of the article.

The article embodying the present inven-" tion comprises essentially, two sections, one of-which is indicated in general by the numeral 1 andthe other'by the numeral 2. The section 1 constitutes both acontainer section and a sterilizing section, and the section 2 constitutes a closure for the section 1. Both of the sections are made ofmetal and are eXteriorly of substantially cylindrical form. The section 1 is provided in its upper side with a pocket, indicated by the numeral 3 in which the radium emanation seeds to be shipped are deposited. Thus the section 1 constitutes a: container and by reference to Figure 2 it will be observed that the pocket 3 is located concentrically of the'saidsection -1' in which it is formed and is of: a diameter considerably less than the externaldiameter of the said section sothat'the wall of the pocket, indicated by the numeral l, is relativelythick. Likewise the pocket is of such depth in proportion to the thickness of the section 1 that the bottom ofthe pocket is spaced considerably above the under side of the said-section 1 sothat the bottom wall of the container indicated by the numeral '5, islikewise relatively thick.- The thicknes's ofthese walls" insures protection to those handlingthe container during the period of transportation as Well as to those who handlethe container after it has received the seetl's,and those handling it-after it has reached its destination and'before the container is opened;

The upper portion of the wall t of the container and sterilizing section 1 is exterio'rly reduced in diameter and threaded as indicated by the numeral 6. The cover section 2 of the articlecomprises a top"7 which is'relatively thick and is. provided upon its underside with a depending circumferential rim 8 which isinteriorly threaded, as at 9, thus adaptingythe cover section for removable application to the container and sterilizer section 1. The thickness of the top 7 of the cover section 2 and the combined thickness of the upper portion of the wall 4- and the rim 8 of the sections 1 and 2, respectively, likewise insures safety to those handling the container when there are radium emanation seeds therein.

In order that the seeds deposited in the container and sterilizer section 1 may be retained in the pocket 3 until required for use and may likewise be prevented from being spilled from the pocket when the cover section 2 is removed, the said container and sterilizer section 1 is provided with a closure for its pocket 3, which closure is indicated in general by the numeral 10. The said closure comprises an annular body 11 which is substantially fiat and is provided upon its under side with a depending flange 12 slit for a portion of its circumference as indicated by the numeral 13 and vertically as at 13 so as to provide a portion 14 which is normally sprung slightly outwardly as shown in Figure 4 of the drawings, the metal of which the closure is formed being of a resilient nature so that the said portion 14- may be sprung inwardly against itsresiliency and to occupy the circle in which the said flange 12 is located. The inner surface of the wall 4- of the container and sterilizer section 1 is formed with a circumferential recess 15 which extends about the open upper side of the pocket 3. The flange 12 is es:- teriorly of a diameter substantially equal to the diameter of the recess 15 so that the closure 11) is adapted to have its flange 12 fitted frictionally into the open top of the pocket 8 at which time the portion 14 of the flange 12 will bear more or less firmly against the wall of the said recess 15 and thus constitute a means frictionally retaining the closure in place. The numeral 16 indicates a circular piece of wire gauze which is marginally secured within the inner periphery of the member 11 of the closure and thus the closure is of a foraminous nature for a useful purpose to be presently explained. At the same time the closure constitutes means for effectually preventing spilling of the radium emanation seeds from the pocket 3 at the time the cover section 2 is removed from the container and sterilizer section 1. The periphery of the member 11 of the closure 10 is preferably knurled as indicated by the numeral 17, so as to provide for ready removal of the said closure fromthe container and sterilizer section. 1.

Likewise the sections 1 and 2 of the article are preferably exteriorly knurled as indicatedrespectively by the numerals 1b and 19 so as to facilitate unthreading of the section 2 from the section 1.

For a purpose to be later described, the bottom wall 5 of the container and sterilizer ings from their upper to their lower ends is preferably gradual as illustrated 1n Fig ure 2.

Assuming that all of the component parts of the device are separated one from another, the radium emanation seeds to be shipped are introduced into the pocket 3 and the closure 10 is fitted to the container and sterilizer section 1, thus closing the pocket, at least to the extent that escape of the emanation seeds from the pocket is prevented. The cover section 2 is then threaded onto the section 1, and the device may then be packed or wrapped for shipmei. When the article reaches its destination and use is to be made of the emanation seeds, the cover section 2 is removed, without disturbing the closure 10, and the section 1 with the cover 10 assembled therewith is placed in a sterilizer. During the process of sterilization, water may freely circulate within the pocket 3 through the meshes of the foraminous member 16 and likewise through the openings 20. After sterilization of the contents of the container and sterilizer section 1, the said section is removed from the sterilizing bath and at the time of its removal, it being maintained in a horizontal or upright position, the water which has accumulated in the pocket 3 will drain through the openings 20. Due to the enlargement of these openings in the direction of their lower ends, capillary attraction is reduced to a minimum and the discharge of all water from the pocket is insured. At the time the seeds are required for use, they may be removed from the pocket 3 by first removing the closure 10.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed as new is:

1. A combined shipping container and sterilizer comprising a container and sterilizer section having a pocket provided with an open top, a foraminous closure for the said top of the pocket having a depending flange provided with a resilient normally outwardly sprung bearing portion, the said flange being frictionally received within the open top of the pocket, and a cover section for the first-1ne11tio11ed section.

2. A combined shipping container and sterilizer comprising a container and sterilizer section, a removable foraminous closure therefor, the said section being provided with drain openings, and a cover section for the first-mentioned section.

1,57e,535 v i I 3 3. A combined shipping container and sterilizer comprising a container and sterilizer section, a removable foraminous closure for the said section, the said section being provided in its bottom with an opening communicating with the interior of the section and opening through the under side of the said bottom of the section, the opening being of gradually increasing diameter from its upper to its lower ends, and a 10 cover section for the first-mentioned section. In testimony whereof I aflix my signature.

JOSEPH MUIR. [L.s.] 

